"AhhhhAhhhhhhAhhhhhhhh!" Little Hallie woke up screaming and sat straight up in her bed. It was the middle of the night. Within moments, Casey came crashing through the door.
"Hallie! Are you ok? Baby whats wrong?" Casey puffed.
Hallie breathed heavily for a few seconds before she began to cry. Casey didn't miss a beat and quickly came to his daughter's side, pulling her into him as she cried into his chest. This wasn't the first time this had happened. It had only been two weeks since Rebecca Jones's passing..
"I miss her daddy.." Hallie sobbed into his chest.
He stroked his little girl's back, wishing there was more he could do. Things had gotten better for a short bit of time, but then Hal had over heard someone say suicide and after explaining that too to a six-year-old well... it had just made things worse.
"Why did she go daddy? It wasn't like mommy.. she had a choice. Why did she choose to go daddy? ...Why did she choose to leave me?" Hallie cried.
"I don't know baby... She was sick. The kind of sick, medicine can't always fix... And life wasn't as good to her as it was to you and me. And she didn't have a good daddy." Casey said.
Hallie looked up and met her father's eyes. Her cheeks were stained with tears.
"And if anything... her love for you... made her stick around longer." Casey told her.
Hallie smiled, just a little before curling back up into her father's chest. "I just miss her..."
"I know darling.. we all do." Casey said.
Hallie lay on her stomach, her head resting on ground of the Firehouse driveway, as she nonchalantly colored.
"Hey kid!"
Hallie looked up, it was Severide.
"Hey," He said jogging up to her. "You wanna be my wing man? We're about to play cards."
Hallie shook her head.
"Ok.. how about you, Shay, and I have a round of Hide and Go Seek later?" Severide suggested.
Again Hallie shook her head, "no thanks Kelly.."
Kelly nodded, "Okay, kid, okay."
Just as he turned to walk away Hallie called out for him. "Kelly."
Kelly turned around.
"You're never gonna leave me right?" Hallie said. "Like my best friend did?"
Kelly's face harden, "Absolutely not." He said, and then smiled and winked.
Hallie smiled back. "Good."
Hallie was packing her homework and toys up in the bunk room as she waited for her father to get out of a meeting with Kelly and Chief B.
"Hey miss. Hallie." Gabby said, rounding the corner and coming into the bunk room.
"Hi Gabby," Hallie chimed.
"Hey, sit down.. I got something for you." Gabby said sitting on the bunk and patting the seat next to her.
Hallie took her book bag off and sat down beside Gabby.
"I went to see chief Jones today.. Rebecca's dad, and he gave me something I think you should have.." Gabby said and took out something from her pocket and held it out for little Hallie to take. It was Rebecca's Firefighter badge.
Hallie looked at it in awe for a few moments before taking it gently from Gabby's hand, as if it was something real breakable.
"You mean it?" Hallie said, looking up at Gabby after a moment of staring at it.
Gabby nodded. "She would want her best friend to have it. And besides.. she already left me something."
"Thank you." Hallie said giving her a quick hug before staring at the badge.
"You're welcome dear one." Gabby said, giving the kid a kiss on the top of the head and a pat on the back.
"Hey daddy..?" Hallie's little voice rang out as Casey finished tucking her into bed.
"Yeah Hal?" He answered.
"You think Rebecca's where mommy is? In heaven?" Hallie asked innocently.
"Yeah.. I bet she is." Her father answered.
"Which means she's not sick or hurting anymore." Hallie said.
"That's what the Bible says." Casey said, as he turned off the lights.
"That's good.." Hallie said, her voice beginning to fill with sleep. "Hey dad?"
Casey stopped mid way from exiting the room. "Yes Hal.."
Hallie smiled softly with sleepy eyes. "We're gonna see her again one day, aren't we."
Casey nodded to his daughter.
Hallie smiled again before rolling over and snuggling into her pillow. "Goodnight daddy.."
"Goodnight my Hallie."
And for the first time in weeks... Little Hallie slept peacefully.
..Meanwhile, two young women in Heaven bonded over their love for one very special little girl.. :)
Hey friends! :) I'm back! Well.. for a little while anyways. I just got back from College and I'm on Christmas/Winter break until the first week of January so I'll try to give you guys a few chapters while I'm home! :) Thanks for waiting! I hope I don't disappoint! R&R please! :) Stay tuned for Chapter 9!
